NEW DELHI: Vijay Bahuguna was on Tuesday sworn in as chief minister of Uttarakhand amid a rebellion within the Congress legislature party that saw just half of its MLAs attending the event. The boycotting MLAs chose instead to camp in the national capital and express solidarity with Union minister Harish Rawat, who was pipped to the post by Bahuguna as the party high command's chief ministerial choice.

There were question marks on the stability of the ruling arrangement in Dehra Dun as Rawat has indicated his resolve to make things difficult for the new chief minister. "I have been denied my due. The party did not do justice to me," Rawat said on Tuesday. Although he denied reports of his resignation from the government, there were clear signs that the minister will fuel the flames of revolt in the hill state against the Congress central leadership's decision.

A Congress spokesman in New Delhi, however, indicated that the party was determined to ignore the rebellion. "At times, when there are legitimate expectations, there can be a sense of disappointmenta¦but those who have served Congress all these years and been through trials and tribulations of the political process, need to take things in their stride," party spokesperson Manish Tewari said. "The party is very hopeful that the sense of disappointment can be surmounted if the larger interest of the people of Uttarakhand and the challenges it faces as a nation can be effectively served," he added.

But things are not going to be easy for Bahuguna as various factions in the state unit have got together to challenge his leadership as well as the central unit's writ. The rebellion broke out soon after the central leadership named Bahuguna as the new chief minister of Uttarakhand on Monday. He was chosen over Harish Rawat as well as erstwhile leader of opposition Harak Singh Rawat. As enraged supporters of Rawat came out on the streets of Dehra Dun to protest against Bahuguna's anointment, nearly one-and-a-half dozen MLAs congregated in New Delhi in support of Harish Rawat.

These MLAs camped at his residence here through Tuesday, even as Bahuguna awaited his swearing in back in Dehra Dun. To make matters worse, Harak Singh Rawat on Tuesday came forward to side with Harish Rawat.

"The future of new government is very bleak. It can continue only for 10-15 days. Harish Rawat is credited for reviving Congress in Uttarakhand but Bahuguna has no contribution in the state and has been imposed on us," Harak, who was elected as MLA from Rudraprayag, was quoted by the agencies as saying.

Incidentally, Harak's sentiments were shared by a majority of newly-elected Congress MLAs. Their dissent largely stems from the fact that party high command zeroed in on Bahuguna without a formal meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). As is the norm, the CLP either chooses its own leader or authorises the central high command to decide upon a leader. However, this process was bypassed and Bahuguna's name as chief minister was announced in New Delhi.

Harak said the party high command should have given weightage to MLAs first. "In case the party high command had to chose from MPs, then the first right to become the chief minister was that of Harish Rawat," he said.

The Congress spokesperson, however, denied that the legislators were not consulted ahead of Bahuguna's appointment. "The process of consultation does involve the state legislature and people in the AICCa¦this is the practice that has been followed over the years and is time-tested," said Manish Tewari.

Even though Congress maintained that it stood by its choice, Bahuguna, and hoped that Rawat would fall in line sooner than later, that the rebellion had the central leadership shaken was clear when party president Sonia Gandhi chaired a meeting of senior party leaders here to discuss Rawat's revolt. The meeting was attended by Uttarakhand Congress chief Yashpal Arya, Harak Singh Rawat and AICC in charge of the state, Ghulam Nabi Azad.